Godsmack has made another major lineup change during its 2026 tour, bringing in former Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini after the sudden departure of drummer Wade Murff.
The veteran rock band introduced Mangini behind the drum kit during a June 12 performance at Morton Amphitheater in Riverside, Missouri, marking his first live appearance with the group on the ongoing “The Rise Of Rock” tour. The show featured Godsmack alongside Stone Temple Pilots and Dorothy.
Mangini joined guitarist and vocalist Sully Erna, bassist Robbie Merrill and guitarist Sam Koltun, who became a full-time member of the band earlier this year.
Mike Mangini of Dream Theater performs at Mediolanum Forum of Assago on May 07, 2022 in Milan, Italy.Photo by Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images
Following his debut performance, Mangini shared his thoughts on social media, revealing that he stepped into the role with virtually no preparation time.
“Taking this all in today with show 1 done,” Mangini wrote.
“And just like that, I finally get to play these dream venues in the USA with my Boston brothers in GODSMACK. I need to thank a lot of people for putting this together so quickly. I can't even express how grateful I am to Sully, Robbie, Sam and the entire organization for trusting me with no rehearsal. My gear companies performed nothing short of a miracle and my family, friends & fans never stopped praying for and supporting me. Thank you.”
View this post on InstagramThe move comes as Godsmack continues navigating a period of significant personnel changes following the exits of longtime guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin in 2025.
Mangini’s arrival follows Wade Murff’s brief tenure with the band. Murff joined Godsmack earlier this year and performed more than a dozen shows between May and early June.
His final appearance with the group came shortly before news emerged that he would fill in for Black Veil Brides drummer Christian “CC” Coma during the remainder of that band’s 2026 European tour.
Neither Godsmack nor Murff has publicly addressed the reason behind the sudden lineup adjustment.
The band's tour continues across North America before heading overseas for a European festival run later this summer.
Earlier this year, Sully Erna expressed confidence in the band's revamped lineup, including both Murff and guitarist Sam Koltun.
“Sam's on board now full-time, and he's gonna be the new player from this point forward. And the drummer that we chose, his name is Wade Murff. He's worked with DAUGHTRY and some other acts. A fairly under-the-radar kind of guy. A strong player. A great dude. Really good with attention to details, as Sam is.”
Mangini arrives with decades of experience in the rock and metal world. He spent 13 years as the drummer for Dream Theater after winning a highly publicized audition process in 2010. Before that, he built a reputation through performances with Extreme, Steve Vai, Annihilator, and numerous other projects.
After departing Dream Theater in 2023 following the return of original drummer Mike Portnoy, Mangini launched several new musical ventures, including the band Monolith and his solo album, Invisible Signs.
Now, the accomplished drummer finds himself on one of the year's biggest hard rock tours, helping guide Godsmack through its latest era.
As The Rise Of Rock tour continues, fans will get their first extended look at how Mangini fits into the band's evolving lineup and what the next chapter of Godsmack may sound like on stage.
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